Liquid-dispensing apparatus



April 28, 1931.

G. R EARTLETT LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 25, 1927 lill/liliPatented Apr. 28, 1931 PATENT OFFICE GAD R. IBARTLETT, UF BRYNTVILLE,MASSACHUSETTS LIQUID-DISPENSING APPARATUS Application led November 25,1927.. Serial No. 235,411.

This invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus and finds aparticular application to apparatus utilized to deliver gasoline tomotor vehicles and the like. The object is to. provide an improveddevice of the kind wherein fluid under pressure, for instance,compressed air, is used to deliver the gasoline, the operation of thedevice being controlled from the local point of delivery, for example,

the dispensing nozzle at the end of the customary flexible hose throughwhich the gasoline is delivered directly to the fuel tank of the motorcar.

My invention will be well understood by reference to the followingdetailed description of the illustrative embodiment thereof shown by wayof example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: y

Fig. 1 is a part elevation, part vertical section of a dispensingapparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through a servomotor and the valvecontrolled thereby; and A Fig. 3 is a central vertical section throughthe dispensing head.

Referring to the drawings, the gasoline is delivered from a suitablesupply tank 5, herein illustrated as an underground tank, through thedip tube 7. Air or other fluid under pressure received from any suitablesource at the pipe 9 is utilized to force the gasoline from the tank andherein this is effected by means of a suitable mechanical pump operatedby the luid under pressure, the admission of which to the pump iscontrolled by a suitable valve shown in detail in Fig. 2. Air from thepipe 9 enters through the branch pipe 11- to the valve casing 13 whichis formed with seats for the valve 15, herein shown as of thedouble-headed type. If the valve is shifted to the right, viewing Fig.2, fluid may pass from the pipe 11 through the valve casing to the pipe17 and is admitted to the cylinders 19 (Fig. l) in which work pistonsconnected by a cross-head 21 to which is connected the piston of a pumpcylinder 23. lVhen the air pressure forces th pistons in cylinders 19upward the piston of pump cylinder 23 is also raised and any liquidabove the same will be expelled or pumped out through pipe 25 and at thesame time a fresh supply will be drawn into the cylinder. If thecontrolling valve 15 is then shifted to the position shown in Fig. 2,supply of air through the pipe 11 is interrupted, the cylinders 19exhaust through pipe 17, valve casing 13 and exhaust pipe 27, which isconnected to the vent pipe 29. The pistons return by gravity and in thismovement the liquid below the piston in cylinder 23 is transferred tothe upper side thereof through a valve in the customary manner and theapparatus is ready for the next pumping operation. The pipe 25 intowhich the liquid is 65 pumped from cylinder 23 may'communicate by meansof a ilexible hose 31 with the portable dispensing head 33. The liquidconducting passage comprising the pipes 25 and the hose 3l is preferablyprovided with an air 70 intake at its efectively highest point at 35 topermit draining of the hose 31 in a manner to be described.

The dispensing head 33 may be of the construction shown in detailin Fig.3 and is there 75 illustrated as comprising a hollow body 37 having alateral inlet communicating with the hose 31 and an outlet to which itattached a valve casing 39 constituting a dispensing nozzle proper andhaving a dispensing spout 41. rIhe valve casing 39 houses the dispensingvalve 43 normally closed against its seat by spring 45 and the stem ofthis valve may project to the exterior of the casing for operation bymeans of a pivoted lever handle 47 which is so arranged that the nozzleand the handle may be encircled by the hand, a closino' or grippingmovement of the hand ther-ea out opening valve 43 and permitting liquidto flow out through spout 41.

In accordance with my invention I provide means located at thedispensing head 33 for controlling the supply of liquid thereto andherein (see Fig. 2) I have illustrated the control valve 15 as beingoperated by a suit- 95* able servomotor'actuated by compressed air thisservomotor herein taking the form of `the cylinder 49 attached to thevalve casing 13 and having a piston 51 therein, normally pressed to theleft by the spring 53 to main- 100 tain the valve 15 in the positionshown in Fig. 2 in which the supply of fluid to the pump is cut off butwhich may be Operated against the force of the spring by compressed airadmitted through pipe 55. Compressed air to operate the servomotor istaken through a branch from the main supply pipe 9, through a flexibletube 57, to a valve casing 59 located at the dispensing head 33, backthrough tube 61 to the pipe 55.

The valve casing` 59 receives suitable valve mechanism controlling thesupply of pressure fluid to the servomotor and is here shown asdetachably secured by means of coupling 63 to a suitable boss on thebody member 37 of the head in alignment with the valve 43. The valvemechanism may comprise a suitable intake port 65 in communication withtube 57, exhaust ports 67 and a port 69 in communication with the tube61 leading tothe servomotor, which last port is adapted to be placed incommunication alternatively with the intake and the exhaust ports. Theseports are herein shown as controlled by a doubl-e valve, here shown asformed in two parts for constructional reasons, the spaced valve heads71 and 73 cooperating vwith 'their respective seats as shown. In theposition shown both the valve heads 71 and 73 are held to the-left underthe influence of their respective springs 75 and 77 and the valve 71cuts ofi' the supply of pressure fluid from the intake port 65 while theport 69 which is in communication with the cylinder 49 of the servomotoris in communication with the exhaust port 63, exhausting any pressure`fluid therefrom and permitting spring 63 to return the piston to theposition of Fig. 2 so that no pressure fluid is admitted to the-liquidpumping apparatus. Now, if the valves are shifted bodily to the right,valve 73 will close oil' the exhaust port and valve 71 will leave itsseat t0 place the intake port in communication with the cylinder of theservomotor, permitting pressure fluid to flow therefrom to operate themain valve 15.

By placing the valve mechanism which has just been described at thedispensing head 33 control of the mechanism at the point of discharge,for instance, by the operator who is actually engaged in the operationof inserting the nozzle 41 into the fuel tank of an automobile, isprovided for, and the parts may be so arranged that this control may beeffected without bodily shifting of the operators hand such as would berequired if he had to perform in succession clearly distinctmanipulative acts. In the form of the invention illustrated theoperation of the control valve for the servomotor is. eectedmechanically on the operation of the handle 47 which works thedispensing valve 43. Herein the stem of valve 73'pro3ects into thehollow body 37 and is presented in opposition to and in axial alignmentwith the stem of valve 43. In the latter part of the opening movement ofthe latter valve the control valves in head 59 are shifted to the rightin Fig. 3, and when pressure on the lever handle 47 is released topermit the closing of valve 43, the control valves'return to theirinitial position to cut off' the supply of pressure fluid and exhaustthe servomotor cylinder prior to the complete closure of the dispensingvalve. T his timing is effected by the provision of suitable lost motionbetween the stem of valve 43 and the stem of valve 71, as illustrated inthe drawing. This timing of the operation of the device is obviously ofconsiderable importance in the smooth and effective operation of themechanism. It furthermore permits the draining of the hose 31 after thepumping action has ceased while the dispensing valve 43 is still open,air being admitted at 35 to permit the gasoline to drain o'ut by gravitythrough the hose.

I have described in detail an illustrative form of my invention asembodied in an apparatus having a mechanical liquid pump driven by fluidunder pressure as shown by way of example in the drawings in order that'the operation of that particular form might be well understood.Obviously, however, the invention is not limited to the particular ty-peof mechanism shown or to the mechanical details of construction embodiedtherein, but will find an extended application in widely varying forms.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent I shalldefine in the following claims:

1. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid supply tank, a sourceof fluid under pressure, means to render such fluid effective to deliverliquid from the tank, a servomotor itself operated by such fluid forcontrolling said means, a renie dispensing head having a pipe connectionto said tank including a dispensing valve, a conduit leading through thehead for supplying fluid to said servomotor, and valve means to controlthe flow of fluid through the conduit and means for operating saidvalves located on said head and in position to be grasped with said headby a hand of an operator, said means correlated to the valves to effectthe sequential operation of one valve after another by a movement ofsaid hand in its single .grasping position.

2. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid supply tank, a sourceof fluid under pressure, means to render such fluid effective to deliverliquid from the tank, a servomotor itself operated by such fluid forcontrolling said means, a remote dispensing head having a pipeconnection to said tank and including a dispensing valve, a conduitleading through the head for supplying fluid to said servomotor, valvemeans to control the How of luid through the conduit, and means formechanically moving the same consequently to the movements of saiddispensing valve, the latter having lost motion with respect to saidvalve means.

3. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid supply tank, a sourceof fluid under pressure, means to render such iuid efective to deliverliquid fromlthe tank, a servomotor itself operated by such fluid forcontrolling said means, a portable dispensing head having a hoseconnection with the apparatus, a dispensing valve atsaid head, a conduitfor pressure fluid extending along the hose and through the head tosupply uid to the servomotor, valve means at the head to control the iowof fluid through the conduit and means for operating said valves locatedon said head and positioned to be grasped with said head by a hand of anoperator, said means correlated to the valves to eli'ect the sequentialoperation of one valve after another by a movement of said hand in itssingle grasping position.

4. A dispensing head having liquid inlet and outlet ports, a valvecontrolling the latter, said headalso comprising the casing of athree-way valve having inlet and exhaust ports and a third portalternately in communication therewith, a valve controlling said portsand means for operating said valves located on said head and positionedto be grasped with said head by -a hand of an operator, said meanscorrelated to the valves to ei'ect the sequential operation of one valveafter another by a movement of said hand in its single graspingposition.

5. A. dispensing head having liquid inlet and outlet ports, a valvecontrolling the latter, said head valso comprising the casing of athree-way valve having 'inlet and exhaust ports and a third portalternatively in communication therewith, a valve controlling said portsand normally biased to close said inta-ke port, a lever handle foropening said first valve located to permit the same and a part of thehead to be received by the hand v in an encircling grasp, said lattervalve located for operation against its biasing means by the closingmovement of the hand eective to open the first valve during the latterpart of such movement.

6. A dispensing head having liquid inlet and outlet ports, a valvecontrolling the latter, said head also comprising thecasing of athree-way valve having inlet and exhaust ports and a third portalternatively in communication therewith, a valve controlling said portsand normallyfbiased to close said intake port, a handle for opening thefirst valve, and a part moving with said first valve and in its movementmechanically engaging and operating said second valve but having lostmotion with respect thereto.

7. A dispensing head comprising a hollow body having a lateral inletproviding for the attachment of a liquid conduit thereto and an outlet,a `valve casing secured at the outlet having a manually operable valvetherein, the stem thereof projecting into said hollow body, a three-wayvalve casing secured to said body opposite the outlet, and a valvetherein having a stem projecting into the hollow body and presented inaxial alignment with and in spaced relation to the stem of said firstmentioned valve.

8. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid supply tank, a sourceof fluid under pressure, a dispensing head, a liquid conduit betweensaid tank and head having an air inlet at the effectively highest pointthereof, an outlet valve in the head, means to render the fiuid underpressure elfective to deliver liquid from the tank through said conduitincludinga fluid controlling valve at the head and arranged to be movedto initiate the dispensing action during the opening movement of saidoutlet valve and returning to position to intermit such action prior tocomplete closure thereof.-

9. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid supply tank, meansfor controllably discharging liquid therefrom comprising a valve means,the movement of which from one position to another starts and stops thedischarging action, a pressure-fluid-operated servomotor for operating`the valve means, a portable dispensing head comprising a dispensingvalve having an operating handle and a control valve mechanism at thehead for controlling the supply of Huid to said servomotor constructedto be actuated sequentially to the operation of said dispensing valve onmovement of said handle.

10. Liquid dispensin apparatus comprising a liquid supply tan means forcontrollably discharging liquid therefrom comprising a valve means, themovement of which from one position to another starts and stops thedischarging action, a pressure-iluid-operated servomotor for operatingthe valve means, a portable dispensing head comprising a dispensingvalve having an operating handle and a control valve mechanism at thehead for controlling the supply of fluid to said servomotor constructedto be actuated sequentially to the operation of said dispensing valve onmovement of said handle and arranged to move to intermit the operationof said servomotor prior to complete closure of the dispensing valve. v

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

GAD R. BARTLETT.

